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research studies have reported strange dreams occurring just before the onset of latah. These dreams usually had a sexual element to them, often involving penises. According to Tanner and
Chamberland, perhaps the dreams, although with variation, indicate some sort of dysfunction in a specific anatomical area. Exploring this further might lead to more insights as to the cause and/or cure of latah. Osborne (2001) states that latah is a possible emotional outlet in a stifling culture. Winzeler's believes that latah is less demeaning for women than it is for men, and that women actually have more freedom in society because they are not held to as strict of standards as men are. He argues that as men age, they become more concerned with personal dignity and poise while women become less so. Because of this, women feel more freedom to engage in latah behavior, while men do not.
227:. Though this is only a possible reference, by the 1860s, latah had been clearly identified in Malaya and Java. Seen first as merely a "cerebral affection", little was understood about latah during this time. O'Brien's notes from the early- to mid-1880s are the first gathering of information on latah recorded. He observed that latah was more common in women than men, and more likely to occur in more mature, rather than younger, women. From many of the original accounts of European travelers, latah does not seem to have changed much in either affected demographic population nor in symptoms.
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readily observable and developed throughout recurrent provocation in women than in men. This also accounts for the higher prevalence of latah in lower status persons, as they are more vulnerable to abuse than others. The Malay also believe women are more susceptible because they lose more blood than men, through menstruation. Some Malay believe that excess tickling of a child will predispose them to latah later in life.
307:, and dissociative or trancelike behavior. It mentions other cultures where latah is found, but the only further information the DSM-IV provides is that in Malaysia, it is more often found in middle-aged women. It has been removed from DSM-5, and rather than the DSM-5 expanding upon the DSM IV's list of culture-bound syndromes, it has instead provided cross-lists for more commonly known disorders that a
25:
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might be classified as. DSM-5 has taken out the "culture-bound syndrome" language and replaced it with more "sensitive" language, and the glossary where the now shortened list of previously recognized culture-bound syndromes is titled "Other
Specified" and "Unspecified" dissociative disorders. A more
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The onset of latah is often associated with stress. In a study done by Tanner and
Chamberland in 2001, a significant number of research participants had experienced a life stressor (such as a child or husband dying) just before becoming latah. Additionally, a large number of participants from many
263:
When Malays were asked why they thought that women were more likely to suffer from latah, they responded with the cultural explanation that women have less "semangat" or soul substance. They also said women are simply easier to tease than men, and coupling these two together, latah becomes more
250:
Latah can affect people differently; someone can have a very strong reaction or a slight reaction during a latah episode. Every instance of latah has been acquired over time. Those who are affected, which by an overwhelming number are middle-aged to older women, are not born latah. It typically
151:. Physical symptoms include an increased heart rate and profuse sweating, but no clear physiological causality beyond the apparent relationship between sudden shock and/or severe emotional stress have been identified. Since no research has emerged indicating whether the behavior is caused by a
254:
A latah episode occurs after being startled (poking, shouting, something falling). During an episode, a latah person will begin to shout obscenities, imitate words or gestures of those around them or even those on TV, and will often obey any commands given to them â no matter how outrageous or
255:
against cultural norms they are. Persons with latah make movements reminiscent of behaviors normally peculiar to certain childhood developmental stages. The person is unlikely to remember anything occurring during the episode.
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occurs around the time of menopause. There is a lack of latah in the higher social strata of Malay and Java, which suggests they are more likely to suppress their responses than those who belong to lower social classes.
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that was historically regarded as personal difference rather than an illness. Similar conditions have been recorded within other cultures and locations. For example, there are the so-called
329:, "a parody of modern mass man under modern conditioning programmes of advertising and public induced morality", according to Eric Mottram. Burroughs described latah as involving
295:(DSM) IV under the "Dissociative Disorder: Not Otherwise Specified" section as a culture-bound syndrome. DSM IV describes latah as a hypersensitivity to sudden fright, often with
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143:. When induced, the affected person typically engages in such behaviors as screaming, cursing, dance movements, uncontrollable laughter,
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Gimlette, J. D. (21 August 1897). "Remarks on the
Etiology, Symptoms, and Treatment of Latah, with a Report of Two Cases" .
333:, as well as being forcibly induced rather than spontaneously occurring. Latah is also mentioned in Burroughs' 1963 novel
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stationed in
Selangor in 1874 who were affected with the condition were made the victims of pranks by their colleagues.
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general discussion, involving the formation of a cultural identity, explanation, and assessment, has been added.
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The earliest mention of latah is in J. R. Logan's journal from 1849 when he traveled from
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521:"Remarks on the Etiology, Symptoms, and Treatment of Latah, with a Report of Two Cases"
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factors, or another cause not yet hypothesized, the cause has remained undetermined.
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or other external stressor almost exclusively having been observed in persons from
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Simons, R. C. (2001, November 1). "Introduction to
Culture-Bound Syndromes". In
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Latah in
Southeast Asia: The History and Ethnography of a Culture-bound Syndrome
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Kenny, MG (1978). "Latah: The symbolism of a putative mental disorder".
438:(4th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association. 1994.
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in which abnormal behaviors result from a person experiencing a sudden
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is defined as "to involuntarily say or do things because of surprise".
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Latah: A Culture-specific
Behavior Pattern in Malaysia and Indonesia
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Tanner, C M; Chamberland, J (2001). "Latah in
Jakarta, Indonesia".
575:. University of California, San Diego, Department of Anthropology.
372: â Neurodevelopmental disorder involving motor and vocal tics
211:; however, the connection among these syndromes is controversial.
360: â Genetic disorder causing an exaggerated startle response
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Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-IV
592:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 33â51.
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Winzeler R (April 1984). "The Study of
Malayan Latah".
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unique to those of Southeast Asian ancestry, a set of
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Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
238:(1895). Swettenham describes how two policemen from
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Giving Away the Basic American Root[ed]ness
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
709:Osborne, L. (2001, May). "Regional Disturbances".
469:"The startle syndromes: physiology and treatment"
323:mentions latah several times in his 1959 novel
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769:"Introduction to Culture-Bound Syndromes"
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467:Dreissen YE, Tijssen MA (December 2012).
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
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366: â Sudden movement or vocalization
275:dictionary with definitions in Malay,
159:symptoms triggered by Southwest Asian
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47:adding citations to reliable sources
230:The British colonial administrator
810:(2669): 438â46. 24 February 1912.
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166:Latah was initially considered a
729:Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry
486:10.1111/j.1528-1167.2012.03709.x
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854:(1423): 763â765. 7 April 1888.
34:needs additional citations for
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586:Winzeler, Robert L. (1995).
16:Culture-bound mental illness
519:Gimlette JD (August 1897).
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713:. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
635:. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
175:Jumping Frenchmen of Maine
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842:"Special Correspondence"
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161:cultural anthropological
902:Malay words and phrases
887:Culture-bound syndromes
847:British Medical Journal
803:British Medical Journal
620:British Medical Journal
525:British Medical Journal
424:(subscription required)
860:10.1136/bmj.1.1423.763
309:culture-bound syndrome
289:Latah was included in
123:Latah (disambiguation)
781:(11). Archived from
321:William S. Burroughs
121:For other uses, see
43:improve this article
271:, an authoritative
181:among women of the
741:10.1007/BF00051005
669:Movement Disorders
651:2017-01-14 at the
316:In popular culture
246:Signs and symptoms
774:Psychiatric Times
767:(November 2001).
644:Parkingson A.D.,
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36:verification
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326:Naked Lunch
269:Kamus Dewan
183:Ainu people
881:Categories
789:2013-07-21
765:Simons, RC
622:, 455-457.
605:2008-02-26
377:References
331:echopraxia
297:echopraxia
285:In the DSM
185:of Japan,
69:newspapers
473:Epilepsia
399:Indonesia
301:echolalia
195:Filipinos
187:mali-mali
133:condition
897:Hypnosis
892:Reflexes
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649:Archived
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352:See also
207:) among
199:bat-schi
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